Humility

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]On our second day in the Black Hills, we had many exciting cultural experiences. One of which was building a traditional tipi. The men built a tipi first, followed by the women. The tipi is considered a woman’s place and her responsibility. The young Lakota women and the girls on our trip learned that each pole represents a specific ideal in Lakota culture. The ideals are respect, compassion, wisdom, fortitude, and humility. We also learned the importance of the back pole of the tipi. All of these elements are an integral part of Lakota culture, especially humility.
Not only was humility shown as important in this case, but also in the naming ceremony in which the children receive their Lakota names. The Lakota name has great significance because it is how the ancestors guide you into the spirit world. In addition to this, the children burned their past clothing, which also symbolizes the traumatic past that they are overcoming.
We were fortunate to have the opportunity to go into the inipi with other Lakota women and men. In the ceremony, the young girls walked into the inipi and it was pitch black and very steamy. We stayed in there for about five minutes, but it felt shorter. It was an indescribable feeling to be a part of such a beautiful piece of their culture. We are looking forward to experiencing more of the Lakota culture over the next few days![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]